1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic platform components. More specifically, the present invention relates to securely upgrading or downgrading platform components.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic component platforms include electronic devices that include multiple levels of components or functionality. These components can either be built into the individual platform by the same manufacturer as the platform, or the components can be built by different manufacturers and later combined into a platform. An example of the former may be a computer processor, which can contain different layers of functionality (e.g., main processing components, multiple cores, built-in memory, graphics acceleration, mathematical calculation acceleration, etc.). An example of the latter may be a computer system, where a company such as Dell™ may assemble a computer using components from various manufacturers.
Consumers purchase such electronic platforms once and cannot upgrade individual components at there will unless they buy a new component and replace an existing one. In some cases, it may even be impossible for the consumer to upgrade an individual component without replacing the entire platform. In the case of a computer processor, for example, it is not possible for a consumer to purchase an upgrade to the built-in memory without either replacing the entire computer processor or using a different component entirely (such as a memory slot built into a separate motherboard). This creates a problem for customers who wish to upgrade some portions of their components but not others. This also creates a problem for manufacturers, who have customers who are willing to pay for certain upgrades but are unable to deliver such upgrades without requiring the customers to purchase additional, unwanted, components or portions of components, which generally results in lost sales.
What is needed is a solution that addresses these issues.